Gear-case for motor-vehicles.



No. magma. Patented Nov. l3, I900.

F. LAMKIN.

GEAR CASE FOR MOTOR'VEHICLES A licatimi filed Sept. 17. 1900.

(No Model.)

Wir E 858.-

msflonms PETERS co. wnuvou m UNXTED STATES FAT NT OFFICE.

FRANK LAMKIN, OF NORWALK, OHIO.

GEAR-CASE FOR MOTOR-VEHICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 661,583. dated November 13, 1900 Application filed September 17, 1900. berial No. 30.260. kNo model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK LAMKIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Norwal k, Huron county, Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gear-Cases for Motor-Vehicles, of which the followingis a specification, that will enable those skilled in the art to which my invention pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to a casing for such of the exposed parts of the driving mechanism of a motor-vehicle as are located beneath the spring-supported body of the vehicle to inclose and protect them from dirt, 850.

It consists of a suitably-shaped casing or inclosure to cover the exposed mechanism, attached at one end to the body of the vehicle, so as to allow of free flexu re ormovement of the body on its springs, and at the other end to the running-gear of the vehicle, with suitable soft pads or cushions as will allow of free movement of the parts and absolutely prevent rattling or noise from vibration.

The accompanying drawings show my invention in the form now preferred by me; but obvious changes might be made in the details of construction to adapt it to varying forms of carriages and different styles of powertransmitting mechanism within the skill of a good mechanic and not requiring the exercise of invention without'departing from the spirit of my invention as covered by the claims at the end of this specification.

Figure l is a side elevation of a motor-carriage with my gear-case applied thereto, the running-gear of the carriage being partly in longitudinal section. Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view, partly in horizontal section, of my gear-case, showing particularly its application to the rear axle of the running-gear. Fig. 3 is a plan View, partly in section, of the rear end of the gear-case detached from the rear axle. Fig. 4 is a rear face view of the front section of the gear-case, showing the flanges by means of which the two sections are bolted together, so as to embrace the rear axle.

The carriage may be of any usualor desired the carriage-body A, supported upon the running-gear B bysuitable springs O and D. In this illustration the front sprocket-wl'ieel E is driven by the engine and is connected to another sprocket-wheel F by a chain G. The

sprocket-wheel F is formed on the periphery of a drum H, which may serve as a bandbrake pulley and which contains a compensating gear of any well-known construction. This compensating-gear mechanism is connected to the two sections I and J of the shaft which turns the reardriving-wheels K of the vehicle. These shafosections lie and have bearing in the tubular rear axle or framesections L and M of the running-gear, the two frame-sections being united by an open yoke N, which surrounds the drum H, as shown.

My casing O, as shown, is adapted to inclose the two sprocket-wheels, the chain, and the yoke, with its inclosed compensating gear. It may be fastened at its front end to the carriage-body in any suitable manner that will allow the free flexure of the carriage-body 011 its springs without materially disturbing the relative position of the casing. In the drawings I have shown it as connected by a pivotshaft 19, supported at each end by a bracket P, bolted to the under side of the body. If desired, the space intervening between the top of the casing and the body may be closed by a band of cloth or leather or other flexible material; but this is not deemed essential by me. At its rearend it is divided on a line intersecting the rear axle of the running-gear, the extreme rear portion constituting a cap which may be removedindependentlyof the rest of the casing to permit access to the com pensating gear and band-brake. The meeting edges of the two portions of the casing are flanged outwardly,as R,and clamped together by bolts 1". A gasket or packing-rings, of rubber or other suitable material, is interposed between the abutting flange-faces to make a tight joint and prevent noise. At the points where they embrace the rear axle the sides of the casing are cut away to form openings S, somewhat larger than the diameter of the axle. Adjacent to the openings are secured pads or rings T, of rubber or other suitable material, the central openings of which are adapted to snugly embrace the axles and carry the entire weight of the rear end of the casing and prevent contact of the metal portions of the casing with the axle. This construction makes the connection absolutely noiseless, while it allows of perfect freedom of action in the rising and falling of the front end of the casing due to any spring actionof the vehicle-body and to a sufficient extent also-permits of a rolling or sidewise movement of'the body. These soft rings or pads are preferably divided on the same line as the casing, each half being attached to a separate section of the casing. These pads may be attached to the sides of the casing-sections by riveting, cementation, or in any other suitable and Well-known manner. In the drawings I have shown them as seated in metal or other suitable sockets t, formed on the exterior surfaces of the casing-sections. With this construction the pads may be easily inserted in and withdrawn from the sockets when the casing is detached from the axle. This facilitates repairs or renewal of the parts when they become worn.

Having thus described my invention, what Iclaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a motor-vehicle the combination of a motive-power device, a shaft connected to the driven wheels and the mechanism for .trausmitting power from the motor to the the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

3. In a motor-vehicle the combination of a motive-power device, a shaft connected to the driven wheels and the mechanism for transmitting power from'the motor to the wheel-shaft with a casing inclosing said powertransmitting mechanism suitably supported at its power-device end and at its other end connected to the vehicle-frame by cushions or pads of rubber or similar suitable material arranged about the axis of the Wheel-shaft substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a motor-vehicle the combination of a running-gear, a vehicle-body spring supported on said runninggear, a motive-power device carried by said vehicle-body, a drivingwheel shaft-supported by the runningegear and mechanism for transmitting power from the motor to the wheel-shaft with a casing inclosing said power-transmitting mechanism suitably connected at one end to the vehiclebody and at the other to the running-gear by cushions orpads of rubber or similar suitable material arranged substantially about the axis of said wheel-shaft as and for the purpose herein set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK LAMKIN.

Witnesses:

WM. A. SKINKLE, GEORGE O. HANSEN. 

